Toy vehicle



Dec.'9, 24-

' w 1,518,661" w. OZMCELROY, JR. ET AL a ROY vanxcw med Aug. 27, 4 SheetsSheet 4 Wlliamd Ma E/ro z Jr.

' JFTropew Patented @ec. 9 1924.!

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAMO. MCELROY, JR, AND JQSEPH F. TBQEPEA, Q35 RIVER/EDGE, NEW JERSEY.

TOY VEHICLE.

Application filed. August 27, 1923. Serial No. 659,645.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. W'ILLIAM O. McEnnov, 51, and Josnrrr F. TROPEA, both citizens of United States residing at Riveredgc, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toy Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, relates to improvements in toy vehicles and has for an object the pro vision of a vehicle which is constructed in imitation of a boat and which is provided with propelling means so that a child may occupy and propel the boat and control its direction of travel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby, when the boat is propelled, a rocking motion will be imparted thereto to simulate the movement of a boat upon the waves.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means for steering the vehicle or boat so that its direction of travel may be readily controlled.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of propelling means which is operated in imitation of the action of rowing.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the invention shown in the form of a row boat.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 4+4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. v I I Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially .on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 8--8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a detail section on the line 9-9 of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is an enlar ed detail section the line 16--16 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail and especially to Figures 1 to 12 inclusive. it will be seen that the body of the toy as disclosed in these figures is shaped to conform to the shape of a boat of the type commonly referred to as a row boat. the said body being indicated at 20. The body is mounted upon wheels 21 and the latter support a front axle 22 and a rear axle 23, both of said axles extending through vertically arranged slots 24: which are provided with oppositely arranged rollers 25, the latter engaging the axles for a purpose to be hereinafter understood.

The front axle 22 is swung from a bar or shaft 26 which extends transversely across and is secured to the opposite sides of the body 20. This shaft has loosely mounted thereon the upper ends of hanger rods 27. the said upperends being provided with eyes 28 which loosely receive the bar or shaft 26 and which is held against movement longi' tudinally upon the shaft or bar by means of spaced collars 29. The lower ends of the rods 27 are connected to the bands 30 of eccentrics 31, the latter being keyed upon the axle 22. while anti-friction elements 32 are interposed between the band and cocentric. As will be seen by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings the eccentrics are oppositely arranged so that they will operate in opposition to one another.

li lounted upon the front axle 22 are gears These gears are formed to rotate upon the axle and are held against movement longitudinally thereof by means of collars 34:. Secured tothe axle 22 are ratchet 105 whee-ls 35. while the gears 33 carry spring -"pressed dogs 36. These dogs engage the iz'atchet wheels so that what the gears are rotated in one direct-ion they will be locked to the axle :22 out will be free when rotated in an opposite direction. The dogs 36 and the ratchet wheels are rerersely disposed, so that one gear 313 will be locked to the sh aft when the gear is rotated in one direction and the other gear will be loc d when rotated in an opposite direction.

For the purpose of rotating the gears there is provided relatively otlset upper and lower rack bars 37, one of which engages each otthe gears These raclt bars are connected by side plates 38 and the latter are provided with elongated slots39- for the accommodation oi? the axle 22 so that the rack ba s a side plates provide a housing which encloses the gears and ratchet mechanism. Secured to this housing is one end of a rod 39, the opposite end of which is secured to one end of a lever 40, the securing means being in the form of a ball and socket joint 41. The lever 40 is mounted upon ashaitt 42 which extends transversely across the boat and has its opposite ends mounted in bearings 43. Secured tov the upper end oi? the lever 4L0 is a cross bar 44 while pivotally secured as at 45 to the opposite ends of this cross bar cars or levers 46 having handles 457.. The oars 46 are mounted within oar locks as secured to the opposite side edges of the boat, pins 4C9 carried by the oar locks extending through elongated slots. 50 in the cars that. the latter are pivotally and slidahly mounted.

The rear axle 23 extends upon opposite sides, of the boat through the slots 2 and has pivotally secured, to its outer end spindles 51. Extending from these spindles are arms and the latter are connected to an arm through the medium of connectin J rods :14 whose opposite ends are pivotally connected to the arms and 53 resp etively. The arm 53 extends from arelatively short rock shaft 54-. which is mounted in a bearing sleeve and the latter is se cured to the axle L by means of bracket arms The upper end of the rock shaft Ti l lismounted thereon'a steering rod 6"? ich as a means whereby the shaft may be rocked to impart pivotal movement to the spindles 51 to, controlv the direction of travel of the vehicle.

The ayle 23 is pivotally mounted as shown 58 upon a bracket 59 which extends up wardly from the bottom of the boat. I

The boat may be provided with seats 60, one of which may be placed in the bow, one in the stern and one amidships.

The occupant of the last mentioned seat will be in convenient position to grasp the handles 47 o f the oars 46 and may move the latter in imitation of rowing. This will through the lever 4-0 impart a reciprocatory' movement to the rod 39 so that the gear I do frame and its racks 3? will be mo /ed longitudinally for rotation of the gears 2-523. When moved in one direction, one of the will he locked to the a. r so as to rotate axle and when moved in an opposite direction the other gear will he rotated so that a continuous driving more men; will he imparted to the axle. At the sane time, the eccentrics ll. will be operated and the boat will be r. ed on its longitudinal center through the operation of these eccentrics. The childs test may be placed upon the steering bar so that the may steered as desired. The sides are provided with. openings El o of the rods 54:.

lat and 15, the body 62. is; .m of a boat having forward portion decked over as at 63 in imitation of a launch. The body is supported upon a front axle 64 and a rear axle 63, the latter being provided with cran which have secured thereto connecting a .iese rods are connected to crank hich are prorided with pedals ($9..

so that an occupant of a seat 70 which is arranged within the boat may operate the cranlc arms to rotate the shaft 65. The shaft is hung from shaft or bar 71 through the medium of hanger rods and eccentrics '4' after the manner of the n described form of the invention, so. as the axle 65 is rotated arocking motin-n willv be imparted to the body 62. The axles 64 and 65 extend through slots 74 in, the side of the boat.

'l 'he front sale 6% has, pivotally secured to each endthereoli spindles 75 from which extend arms 76 and these are connected by me s of rods 7? with an i. 78 the last mentioned arm extending from the lower end of a steering vpost 79 which is included in i steerin column 80. The column Re is s cured {,0 the axle G-fl by means of bracrets 87... while the steering post has secured upon its up 7 end a wheel 82 The e 64: pivotally mounted shown at 83 in a brr-irliet 84 which extends rem the bottom of the boat. i

In this form of the invention, the opera tor faces the bow of the boat and; utilizes for supporting the body, means whereby the driving axle may be operated, means where by the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled, and eccentric means mounted upon the driving axle whereby operation of the latter will impart a lateral rocking movement to the body.

2. A toy vehicle comprising front and rear wheel supported axles including a driving axle, a body supported by the axles and capable of relative movement, means whereby the driving axle may be operated, means whereby the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled, and means including oppositely movable eccentrics mounted upon the driving axle whereby operation of the latter will impart a rocking movement to the body.

3. A toy vehicle comprising front and rear wheel supported axles including a driving axle, a body supported by the axles and capable of relative movement, means whereby the driving axles may be operated, means whereby the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled, eccentrics mounted upon the driving shaft, a stationary shaft extending transversely of the body. and means connecting the eccentrics and stationary shaft, whereby operation of the driving axle will impart a rocking movement to the body.

4. A toy vehicle comprising front and rear wheel supported axles including a driving axle, a body supported by the axles and capable of relative movement, means whereby the driving axle may be operated, means whereby the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled, a bar mounted above the driving axle, eccentrics mounted upon said driving axle and hanger rods connecting the eccentrics and bar, whereby operation of the driving axle will impart rocking movement to the body.

5. A toy vehicle comprising front and rear wheel supported axles including a driving axle, a body supported by the axles and capable of relative movement, means including pivotally mounted oppositely extending levers operatively connected to the axle rotating means for operating the latter, means whereby the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled and means whereby operation of the driving axle will impart relative movement to the body.

6. A toy vehicle comprising front and rear wheel supported axles including a driving axle, a bodysupported by the axles and capable of relative movement, means including double acting ratchet controlled gears whereby the driving axle may be rotated, means whereby the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled, and means whereby operation of the driving axle will impart relative movement to the body.

7 A toy vehicle comprising front and rear wheel supported axles including a driving axle, a body supported by the axles and capable of relative movement, gears loosely mounted upon the driving axle, racks engaging said gears, means whereby the racks may be reciprocated to rotate the gears, means for alternately locking the gears to the axle to provide continuous rotation when the racks are reciprocated, means whereby the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled, and means whereby rotation of the driving axle will impart relative movement to the body.

8. A toy vehicle comprising front and rear wheel supported axles including a driving axle, a body supported by the axles and capable of relative movement, gears loosely mounted upon the driving axle, racks engaging said gears, a pivotally mounted lever, a rod connecting one end of the lever and racks, a bar secured to the opposite end of the lever, levers pivotally secured to each end of the bar, means for pivotally mounting the last mentioned levers, whereby operation of the latter will reciprocate the racks to rotate the gears, means for alternately locking the gears to the axle to provide continuous rotation when the racks are reciprocated, means whereby the direction of travel of the vehicle may be controlled, and means whereby rotation of the driving axlie will impart relative movement to the b0 Iii testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures.

WILLIAM O. MCELROY, JR. JOSEPH F. TROPEA, 

